Peccator et Judæus
by JJJPK
Summary: Fate is cruel and fortune unkind to those they do not favor. Two unfortunate people, who are opposed in everything but their common misery, are thrown together in a brutal game for life and death. There can be no winner in a war of attrition, there can only be sorrow and agony. This is nowhere more perfectly demonstrated than in the tragedy of the Sinner and the Jew.


**So...I'm reading Ivanhoe for a literature class as of right now. It's a splendid story and I absolutely SHIP Rebecca and Brian De Bois-Guilbert. I searched and searched, but could not find too much fanfiction on them. So (as usual) I decided to fix this fatal flaw of the internet, and write my own. This story is supposed to take place right after chapter 39 of the book (like that same night). Brian caves in to his desire to help Rebecca and some serious tension ensues. Enjoy! Oh, and bwt, I made some edits to this so now it's only a one-shot. I was planning on making it a few parts but thought better of it so sorry if it's too much of a cliff hanger.**

Brian De Bois-Guilbert paced his chambers like a caged of lion Palestine. It was well past Compline, yet he could find repose nowhere. A face more beautiful than Aphrodite or Artemis and a demeanor more gentle than Our Blessed Mother haunted his every thought. The image burned hes agitated mind like red hot coals. A battle raged somewhere deep within him, a battle which he had no control over. It was as though he was a spectator in the lists, watching his fate unfolding before him. Honor, valor, renown, rank, ambition, everything he had ever known, struggled with a strange yet powerful force. The force spoke with a voice that was a gentle whisper, with an Arabian accent, "You are a coward Bois Guilbert. You hold my life, the life that is most dear to you in all the world, in your hand and you do nothing? You will let these bigoted old churls take it from thee without even a protest or a whisper of complaint? How can thou call thyself a man?" How dare this voice accuse him in such heinous tones? Was he not De Bois Guilbert the greatest and most valiant of all the Templars? Had he not fought at Thermopylae and Acre until the bitter end? Had his lance not run red in the lists scores of times? Had he not brought order and justice to Jerusalem? The little voice, however, was not daunted. "Yes, yes you can do all those tings but you cannot save an innocent, friendless woman? You cannot let go of your avarice and pride? Thou though art no true man!" His face darkened and twisted with rage. Then what would you have me do? "Free her." He snapped from his trance like a bow drawn too taught and brought his fist into the wall with a heavy thud.

"By the Order and all that is sacred! It cannot-it will not-it must not be so!" He called aloud. "Bois Guilbert, once he has decided, never wavers!"

"Nay but does he know how he has decided?" He growled,

"Scit(see footer)." Then he proceeded to depart from his chambers and approached the cell of Rebecca the Jewess. He moved swiftly, but silently, like a cat on a rooftop. His long, white cloak billowed out behind him. He stood a moment in hesitation, before the door. He all but trembled in anticipation and, at the last, forbore knocking and entered silently.

He found the lovely Jewess in prayer, her head veiled. For a moment he did not speak, only beheld the person who held his fate in her small and gentle hands. He stayed thus only a moment though, for Rebecca, with that sense which is particularly strong in women, though she had not heard him, sensed his presence. She turned about with a startled and frightened exclamation and backed towards a corner as was her wont.

"Oh God of Abraham, mine hour is finally upon me! Preserve me God of my fathers from this dishonor." Bois Guilbert sighed.

"Woman, foolish woman, did I not tell you, you have nothing to fear from me?"

"Then what is thy purpose sneaking about at all hours to frighten me?" He let the silence yawn between them. He must either say everything or else nothing at all. His heart, which was calm before every sort of battle, charge, or melee beat now wildly in his breast.

"Will you persist in your stubborn refusals, oh foolish Jewess?" He finally broke the silence in an earnest voice.

"You know I shall, for I consider death a friend as compared with dishonor and harlotry, so help me God of my fathers!" He closed the space between them in one, swift stride. Now she was but a few inches from him and he was like the hunter who sees the trembling hart, and cannot find it in himself to extinguish such a thing of beauty. She trembled beneath his smoldering gaze.

"Rebecca, Rebecca. You do not know it yet, but it is thou who hold me prisoner." He whispered the words like a benediction. "Fairest maiden, have mercy on me. You have lain me low like no knight or army ever could. You have conquered, I am yours." Then, reverently, and with no small degree of apprehension, he pushed the veil off her head and let it fall, and it pooled about her feet.

"You ought not say such things." She whispered in a breathless tone.

"You render me powerless to stop myself." And thus saying he leaned in and kissed her. She would have backed away instantly, had he not bound her up in his powerful arms. Realizing resistance was futile, she went limp. She intoxicated his senses like wine. He felt akin to Adam when he ate the forbidden fruit which tasted so sweet, but turned so bitter. For he knew now, there was no turning back, his choice was irrevocably made. When he could no longer take the heady daught of her delicate lips, without breaking for air, she instantly struggled and he released her. Her cheeks burned as she rushed to retrieve her veil and backed even deeper into the corner. In one fluid motion she covered her raven tresses and enveloped her face in shadow.

"You are a wicked man!" He sank to his knees like one struck by a blow.

"Do you so utterly disdain me?"

"Verily, and ye must depart from me."

"Not until I have accomplished my purpose."

"Then speak with brevity and begone!"

"Oh fairest Rebecca, say you will come away with me, say you will be my lover! I can give you and your father everything you could ever ask."

"You know I shall always refuse such offers."

"What if I told you I had the power to set you free?"

"Still I would refuse. Your price is too high." An agonized groan ripped from his throat and his face finally manifested the full weight of his anguish.

"Even now you do me a grave injustice! Do you not understand wench?"I would set you at large to go where you would! You would pay no price at all."

"Your jests cause me pain, do not repeat such things."

"Woman I am deadly earnest! I mean you no harm and am only here to aid thee! By all that is holy I swear to thee, by your God and mine, by the Holy Temple and its Order, by my very blood I swear I shall set thee free if thou desires it!"

"You must be mad sir!"

"Rebecca," He lowered his voice, "look at me." But the shy maid only bowed her head. He rose, and coming before her, he tipped her chin up and so she was forced to meet his gaze. "Tell me thou dost not believe me when I say I am totally and utterly captivated by you, and as such I cannot but obey your commands, and it is in my power, though at great peril to yourself and me, to arrange your escape from this tower. Do not be so foolish as to refuse, fair, lovely creature. You should not be subjected to the torment and derision of the stake." His voice trembled with emotion. Her pulse quickened and her eyes grew wide.

"You are in earnest!" She breathed.

"Oh yes, doubt not my devotion." He traced her delicate jaw and she shuddered under his touch. "Wilt though accept my offer?"

"With all my heart. "

Finis.

 **Okay, Scit, means "He knows" in Latin. So there ya have it! I tried my best, but I'm really sorry if the language came of sounding weird and like a cheep copy of Scott's. Also, it's late at night and I dashed this off in a hurry so there are probably many typeo's. I'll correct it if I reread it and they're really bad. I just wanted to get this down though. Have a lovely evening!**


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